Appropriation; IHL - Subsidiary programs., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Hopson, DeBar, Parks, Boyd, Butler, DeLano,
Suber

Senate Bill 3054

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR SUPPORT OF THE EIGHT UNIVERSITIES'
DESIGNATED INSTITUTES, LABORATORIES AND PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE
AND THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027; AND FOR
RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1.  The following sums of money, or so
much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of any money in
the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Board of Trustees of
State Institutions of Higher Learning for the purpose of support of the Center
for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Center for Manufacturing Excellence,
Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, Water Resources Institute, Mississippi
Law Research Institute, Jackson State University Urban Research Center,
Mississippi Mineral Resources Research Institute, Research Institute of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Supercomputer, the Stennis Institute of Government,
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Polymer Institute, Small Business Development
Center, Stennis Center for Higher Learning, the Commission for Volunteer
Services, the State Court Education Program, and the executive office of the
board of trustees for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and
ending June 30, 2027 $    39,927,392.00.

SECTION 2.  The following sums of money, or so
much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of the proceeds
from any federal, student fees or other special source funds not otherwise
appropriated, to the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Center for
Manufacturing Excellence, Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher
Learning for the purpose of support of the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory,
Water Resources Institute, Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program,
Stennis Institute of Government, Mississippi Law Research Institute,
Mississippi Small Business Development Center, Mississippi Mineral Resources
Research Institute, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the
Supercomputer, Stennis Space Center's Center for Higher Learning, Gulf Coast
Research Laboratory, Polymer Institute, Jackson State University Urban Research
Center, the Commission for Volunteer Services, and the executive office of the
board of trustees for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and
ending June 30, 2027 $    48,026,992.00.

SECTION 3.  Of the
funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of this act hereof,
the following amounts, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be
expended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for
the purposes hereinafter set forth:

(a)  From State General
Funds, for the support of:

Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems for

the sum of..................................... $
4,813,359.00.

Supercomputer for the sum of............... $
662,749.00.

Center for Manufacturing
Excellence for

the sum of..................................... $
3,136,419.00.

Mississippi Mineral
Resources Institute for

the sum of..................................... $
412,472.00.

State Court Education
Program for the

sum of........................................ $
2,085,496.00.

Mississippi Law Research
Institute for the

sum of........................................ $
922,966.00.

Executive Office of the
Board of Trustees for

the sum of..................................... $
7,425,157.00.

Mississippi Polymer
Institute for

the sum of..................................... $
929,961.00.

Mississippi Small Business
Development

Center for the sum of.......................... $
364,613.00.

Stennis Space Center -
Center for Higher

Learning for the sum of........................ $
366,474.00.

Jackson State University
Urban Research

Center for the sum of.......................... $
553,605.00.

Stennis Institute of
Government for the

sum of........................................ $
800,829.00.

Commission for Volunteer
Services for

the sum of..................................... $
1,111,961.00.

Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory for the

sum of........................................ $
8,715,767.00.

Mississippi Water Resources
Institute for the

sum of........................................ $
354,278.00.

Mississippi State Chemical
Laboratory for the

sum of........................................ $
1,913,635.00.

Research Institute of
Pharmaceutical Sciences

for the sum of................................. $
5,357,651.00.

(b)  From Special
Funds, for the support of:

Center for Advanced
Vehicular Systems for

the sum of..................................... $
142,782.00.

Center for Manufacturing
Excellence for the

sum of........................................ $
142,782.00.

Mississippi Mineral
Resources Institute for

the sum of..................................... $
527,861.00.

Mississippi State University-Alcohol
Safety

for the sum of................................. $
1,940,639.00.

Mississippi Law Research
Institute for the

sum of........................................ $
345,778.00.

Executive Office of the
Board of Trustees for

the sum of..................................... $
21,506,688.00.

Mississippi Small Business
Development

Center for the sum of.......................... $
2,573,401.00.

Commission for Volunteer
Services for

the sum of..................................... $
2,474,134.00.

Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory for the

sum of........................................ $
2,074,725.00.

Mississippi State Chemical
Laboratory for the

sum of........................................ $
506,807.00.

Research Institute of
Pharmaceutical Sciences

for the sum of................................. $
15,791,395.00.

Of the funds appropriated
under the provisions of Section 1 of this act and allocated to the Gulf Coast
Research Laboratory, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher
Learning shall allocate One Hundred Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($175,000.00)
for Sea Grants matching for the Fiscal Year 2027.

Provided further, it is the
intention of the Legislature, in the event budget reductions are imposed on the
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions
of Higher Learning, as a result of the Governor ordering budget reductions
under the provisions of Section 27-104-13 or 31-17-123, Mississippi Code of
1972, the same percent reduction will be applied to those state funds
identified in this section for Sea Grant match.

It is the intent of the
Legislature that no general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being used
for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are
withdrawn and no longer available.

After the Mississippi State
Chemical Laboratory has provided the maximum amount of services which may be
provided free of charge under the provisions of Section 57-21-11(c),
Mississippi Code of 1972, the laboratory shall not provide any additional
services from the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2
of this act if any charges for such services previously provided are more than
ninety (90) days past due.  After all such delinquent charges have been paid by
a client, the laboratory may provide additional services to the client.

SECTION 4.  Of the
funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act and authorized for expenditure in
Section 3(b) of this act, the following amounts shall be derived from Education
Enhancement Funds deposited pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31,
Mississippi Code of 1972:

Center for Advanced
Vehicular Systems.......$     142,782.00.

Center for Manufacturing
Excellence.........$     142,782.00.

Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory..............$     142,782.00.

Executive Office of the
Board of Trustees

for the sum of................................. $     402,396.00.

Total.......................................$
830,742.00.

SECTION 5.  None of
the funds appropriated by this act shall be expended for any purpose that is
not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties
of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, or any of
the powers or duties of any institution under the jurisdiction of the board of
trustees, that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or
federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law.

SECTION 6.  It is the
intention of the Legislature that the budget requests of the individual
institutes, laboratories and programs consolidated in this bill for Fiscal Year
2028 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format
and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided
during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process.

SECTION 7.  The Board
of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall report yearly to the
Legislature any institution not in compliance with Section 97-11-51,
Mississippi Code of 1972, which prohibits deficit spending.

SECTION 8.  Any funds
appropriated pursuant to this act and paid as a fee to or deposited in a
financial institution shall be in compliance with Section 109 of the
Constitution of the State of Mississippi and Section 25-4-105, Mississippi Code
of 1972.

SECTION 9.  It is the
intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by
this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all
things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality
and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given
preference.  A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries
for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.

SECTION 10.  None of
the funds appropriated and/or authorized for expenditure under this act shall be
used for research in which a human embryo is killed or destroyed.

SECTION 11.  It is
the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be
expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that
no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their
appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon
their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this
provision.

SECTION 12. Of
the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Million Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00) is hereby provided for the National Center for
Cannabis Research and Education at the University of Mississippi - Research
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for the purpose of data analysis,
educational initiatives, and other activities in collaboration with the State
Department of Health pursuant to Section 41-138-1, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 13.  Of the funds appropriated in Section
1 of this act, One Hundred Twenty-one Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-eight Dollars
($121,968.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is provided for the equivalent
of a Two Thousand Dollar ($2,000.00) salary increase for all professors and
adjunct professors at the following programs:  the Center for Advanced
Vehicular Systems, the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, the Mississippi
Mineral Resources Institute, the Stennis Institute of Government, the Gulf
Coast Research Laboratory and the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
at the discretion of the Institutional Executive Officer.

SECTION 14.  The
money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money
in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in
this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State
Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper
person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 15.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.